PAUL CLUVER ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2022

Vintage conditions
Picking of the grapes took place in the early hours of the morning starting at 3am to ensure the grapes are cool. Harvesting started 9th February and continued until 16th March. Grapes came in at sugars of between 21-23° Brix. Fortunately Cluver experience very cool night temperatures in Elgin, which help the grapes retain freshness.

Vinification details
Burgundian clones 667, 113, 115 and 777 are used. Extensive individual berry sorting was done by hand prior to crushing. This was followed by cold maceration at 12-14°C for 6-8 days. The fermentation was allowed to start naturally and then after 3-4 days, some tanks were inoculated with selected strains of Burgundian yeast to ensure a complete fermentation. Where strong, clean, wild ferments were present, fermentation was allowed to continue. During the fermentation, the skin cap was punched through by hand twice per day. After fermentation, the wine was transferred to French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place (27% new wood, the rest 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill). Maturation took place on the lees for 12 months. After tasting and blending trials, the wine was racked (displaced using Nitrogen gas rather than pumping), assembled and prepared for bottling.